Unsaid
by Candlegiglia
Summary: Spoilers for The Stolen Earth. The "reunion" from the Doctor's POV. The Doctor just never seems to get his happy ending, does he?


A/N: Spoilers for those who haven't seen The Stolen Earth yet (It is amazing!!) Hope you like it. Leave Reviews? Oneshot

**Unsaid**

"It's like a ghost town," Donna said as she looked around the wreck left behind by those Daleks. She hadn't seen them before and at first, she had failed to comprehend the shiver that ran down everyone's spine at the mere mention of the world 'Dalek'. But looking around now at the empty streets, and broken windscreens on cars, people's bags and belongings lying limp everywhere, echoes of the world a day ago…and a few still bodies sprawled across the pavement, she was beginning to see why Jack, Sarah-Jane and Martha had paled at the prospect of facing the Daleks.

Her granddad, her mum, where were they? A cold hand of fear gripped her as she wondered what became of them. "They're fine!" she insisted, trying not to think of the worst. She tried to tell herself that the whole Universe was in danger.

The Doctor looked around the devastation, a sickening feeling rising in his stomach. The sight was not unfamiliar and he had hoped that he wouldn't have to see it again. And the terrible feeling was not new either. He had felt it a million times before, and it made him wonder, "Why does he even bother?"

"What am I to do now?" he wondered, running his fingers through his hair in fear and frustration. The Universe is going to end, the Daleks are taking over, and everyone is dying. "It's happening again."

"We are declaring war, Doctor, right across the Universe and _you _will lead us into battle!" The Shadow Proclamation's head's voice rang in his head. He'd heard those words before. Last time, he was filled with childish pride. Last time, he'd been glad at the chance to prove himself. Now, he dreaded to think what would happen if he did it. Could he actually do it? The wounds from the previous war hadn't healed; another one would tear everything apart. It would kill everyone: Jack, Martha, Donna…and Rose.

"Rose!" He thought, suddenly brightening at the thought of her. "Think Donna, you met Rose in the parallel Universe, what did she say?" She must have said something. She had to have said something. How else was he supposed to save the world? An image of Rose slid into is consciousness.

_He saw a faint, ghostly image of Rose standing in front of him, in Bad Wolf Bay, trying to stop the tears from flowing. Her tear stained face was contorted in pain that he had caused; and it hurt. It killed him to know that he was the cause of the pain. But there was nothing he could do. It was the Curse of the Timelords…_

"Just, "The Darkness is coming."" Donna said, at length.

"The Darkness is coming." The Doctor thought. "What does that mean?"

"Anything else?" Her memories of the parallel universe were fragmented but she remembered the blonde clearly. She remembered her brown eyes reflecting the pain and longing that she'd seen in the Doctor's eyes so many times. She casually glanced around the road again, while the Doctor stared behind her, thinking.

In the distance, she saw a small figure moving towards them. As it came closer, she recognised the blue jacket that the woman was wearing and the huge gun in her hands. It was Rose.

He looked at Donna but she was looking behind him, smiling. "What's wrong with her?" he wondered.

"Why don't you ask her yourself?"

The Doctor stood still. 'It can't be!" he thought. Slowly, he turned around, telling himself that it was not Rose. It was. He couldn't believe it. After dreaming about this impossible moment for the past two years, he refused to believe that it was coming true. "Her hair's longer," he thought, grinning. His hearts were running wild in ecstasy at the sight.

He ran.

In that moment, nothing mattered. The Universe was ending, and everyone was going to burn, but who cared? All thought of the war and the Daleks fled from his mind. He thought only of Rose, the one person he cared about most, the one person he'd died for, the one person who made him feel truly alive.

And then, his dream turned into his nightmare. And he woke up. As he turned to see a Dalek gliding towards them, he realised, that it was never going to happen: He was never going to get his happy reunion.

"Exterminate!" He'd said his goodbye a long time ago, and there was no going back now…

The force of the impact, pushed him backwards, he stumbled over his own feet, arms waving uselessly in defeat, and then one final _thud _to announce the fall of the Oncoming Storm. Somewhere in the background, he heard a bang as the Dalek was blown to smithereens. He heard anxious footsteps running towards him while he lay motionless trying to ignore the screams of his cells dying. He opened his eyes, and Rose's anxious face looked down at him.

"I've got you! I missed you. Look, it's me." Rose said, cradling The Doctor's head in her hands.

"Rose," he paused for breath, "long time no see," he croaked.

Rose face flickered into a smile for a second. "Well you know, been busy," The Doctor closed his eyes, his face set, trying not to show his pain, "No, don't die!" It was the desperation in her voice that willed the Doctor to open his eyes. When he did, he saw Jack taking the gun off Rose. He couldn't hear Jack's words, the pain was too loud now. He couldn't ignore it anymore. And then, he felt something else: A tingling in his hearts. No, he thought, not again. It was happening.

He felt a pair of arms grab him and half drag him to the TARDIS. Inside, he lay, with Rose looking over him, begging him to live, and not regenerate. He looked at his hand, and he knew it was too late. He couldn't stop now, even if he wanted to.

Jack dragged Rose away, as the Doctor got to his feet and before he even had the chance to stable himself, gold bursts of light shot out of his arms and legs, blinding the three companions. He could feel his cells renewing, as they filled with new life. He could breathe again. Oh, the relief! It felt like drinking water, after a long hot day in a desert; refreshing. He was regenerating.

His companions, only looked across at him, with fear; fear of what his new regeneration would be like. Donna covered her eyes, confused and scared. Rose felt like screaming. After everything she had been through to find him, he goes and does this! She didn't even get a chance to say a proper goodbye to him; atleast his other regeneration had given her that. And Jack, well, he was just a bit cautious, and slightly curious.

And then, it stopped. The golden light disappeared, and The Doctor stepped infront of them, with a wide grin on his features, "Hello," he said.

A/N: Can I just say...HE CAN NOT REGENERATE!!


End file.
